Senior Practitioner

The aim of the pilot project is to develop and implement a family screening and treatment pathway to identify and screen children of women who have tested positive for hepatitis C infection (HCV) in prison. The purpose of the role is to extend on the current facility of testing women in prison for HCV who are subsequently supported to access treatment if required, an initiative developed by the Hepatitis C Trust. This service will be expanded to the children of women in prison due to associated risk factors, initially undertaken as a pilot project in three women prisons in England.


It is anticipated that the outcome and recommendations of the pilot project will extend and roll out to all prisons in England, including juvenile estates.
The postholder will work in partnership with the National HCV pMDT ODN Clinical Lead, HCV pMDT ODN Project Manager, HMP services, Hepatitis C Trust, National HCV pMDT ODN, adult ODNs, UKHSA, Local Authority Social Work and Children's Services teams to collaboratively implement the pilot project.


The postholder will work with HMP services colleagues to support women who have tested positive for HCV to understand the implications and risk of HCV to their children/young people.


The postholder will lead the consent process and follow the agreed pathways to provide an expert advisory confidential service to initiate screening and offer testing to their child.


The postholder will network, visit, and collaborate with a range of stakeholders nationally.


The postholder will help develop and deliver the pilot project collaboratively with the HCV pMDT ODN Project Manager from set up, implementation and monitoring, to ensure compliance with and adherence to the pilot project plan and identify, evaluate, and rectify problems until project close out.
Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust is the first of its type in the UK. Our Trust was formed in February 2017 to drive forward our commitment to provide the highest quality, world-class physical and mental health care for our women, children and families. Uniting our hospitals means more seamless care more investment to make greater advances in our specialist treatment and world-leading neo-natal and fetal work. Importantly, it also gives us a greater voice in shaping the future of family-centred care.


Birmingham Children's Hospital is a UK leading specialist paediatric centre with an international reputation in several areas.


Birmingham Women's Hospital is one of two dedicated women's hospitals in the UK, with the busiest single site maternity unit, delivering more than 8,200 babies a year offering a full range of gynaecological, maternity and neonatal care.


Forward Thinking Birmingham (FTB) Mental Health Services are a unique, innovative community and inpatient mental health partnership. Alongside partners FTB offers care pathways of mental health assessment and treatment for young people aged 0-25 years old.


We believe in promoting and enhancing inclusion, diversity and equality and encourage applications from all areas of the community, who meet the criteria for the role, regardless of age, gender identity, disability, race, religion or sexual orientation.
Work in partnership with Social Services, Childrens Services, Youth Offending Teams (YOT) and Probation Services to help identify, contact, safeguard and enable support to be offered to families whilst ensuring governance is adhered to.
Engage with women in prison who have had a previous or current HCV positive test to gain information of children/young people and their carers/guardians to obtain consent to make contact in their respective locality.
Network with primary care and social services to provide support for carers/guardians of children /young people at risk of HCV infection to access testing facilities within the community.
Liaise with local health service teams to initiate referral pathways for children/young people identified with active HCV infection for treatment via the National HCV pMDT ODN and appropriate local HCV ODNs.
Support and manage complex social and environmental barriers facing children/young people and the families of women in prison. This will require high levels of judgement and interaction with inter agencies to agree clear solutions and recommendations that the postholder will be responsible for implementing within the remit of the defined pilot project.
Escalate any areas of risk to the HCV pMDT ODN Clinical Lead and Director of HMP services, including the identification of any mitigating actions that may be required.
Ensure child protection records relating to children/young people safeguarding information are accurately recorded and stored in line with GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018 and BWC Trust Governance. Collaboratively develop care pathways, protocols/guidelines including participants leaflets for implementation throughout the pilot project and beyond, ensure they promote family centred holistic care. The pathway/guidelines will ensure other agencies involved in the child/young persons care receive appropriate information and support.
Have leadership responsibilities to ensure the smooth delivery of pilot project aims and objectives in a clear consistent manner meeting project timelines. Working directly with the HCV pMDT ODN Clinical Lead to ensure the project is producing meaningful outcomes, to predict and plan any changes.
Responsible for collecting and forwarding pilot project data in a timely manner to the HCV pMDT ODN Project Manager.
Work with the HCV pMDT ODN Project Manager to maintain clear accurate records, produce concise reports on the pilot project progress.
Feedback on pilot project outcomes to interested stakeholders, steering committees and national boards.
Ensure the pilot project team delivers safe, high-quality service and deals promptly with all issues relating to the safety of child/young person and family of women in prison.
Ensure all members of the pilot project team are aware of your own work objectives in order that a shared aim for the pilot project is achieved.
Degree level or equivalent in Health or Health and Social Care/Public Health related subject.
Evidence of continual relevant professional development.
Evidence of formal management/leadership training or relevant experience (ILM) or willing to undertake.

Project or Programme Management qualification (Prince II, Managing Successful Programmes or equivalent).


Project Management skills and experience.
Experience working in health/social care/social welfare/children's services.
Knowledge, understanding and experience in managing risk.

Knowledge and understanding of viral hepatitis and the health and social impact on individuals affected.
To collate and present project data of findings in a variety of formats.
Able to apply judgement to complex facts or situations, which require analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options to enable national recommendations.
Ability to identify risks, anticipate issues and create solutions to resolve problems in relation to project delivery.
Able to develop and implement a range of approaches to enable participants and their families from vulnerable and hard to reach communities to proactively engage with the HCV ODN project.
Able to show compassion to deliver holistic care to participants, child/young person and family.

Able to travel and work from several different locations.
Demonstrate an understanding of the practices of equality and inclusion in the delivery of the role.

Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital